"Ain't no flipping way," Victor muttered, voice low but loud enough for the nearest lads to hear.
Onur shrugged, a grin tugging at one corner of his mouth. "Well, that was faster than I expected."
Oliver looked up from where he was stretching. "What do you mean?"
Onur turned toward him, his facial expression confused, like the answer was supposed to be obvious. "We all saw what that kid could do. There is no way in hell he was going to stay in the under 15s for that long."
He glanced over at Sebastian, who was standing by the coach, calm and unreadable. "I totally expected him to join us soon, but I didn't expect it would be this fast."
Onur jabbed a thumb in Victor's direction, voice getting louder, teasing. "At least now that he is here, Victor can put his money where his mouth is and lock him up," while making air quotes with his fingers.
Victor spun to face him, frown hardening. "What? You don't believe I can do that?"
Onur held his hands up, palms out, feigning innocence. "I never said that. Those were your words, not mine."
He flashed a bemused smirk and strolled off down the line, leaving the comment hanging in the cool air.
Victor turned to Oliver, eyes demanding backup. "You don't believe I can lock him up?"
Oliver shook his head and smiled, hands still on his knees from stretching. "Don't drag me into this, bro."
Victor straightened, jaw set, then looked back toward Sebastian. For a second his face smoothed into something else, a private promise. He thought it to himself, quiet and fierce.
They think I can't defend a 13-year-old?
I'll show them.
The words stayed inside him like a small, heavy stone.
Sebastian could already feel it. The glances. The muttered comments. The way a few of the boys looked at him, like he had stolen something that belonged to them. They had already dispersed across the training pitch, but their expressions still lingered in his mind: annoyance, disbelief, maybe even resentment.
He turned to Coach Andreas Georgson, lowering his voice. "Why do I feel like they hate me? I know we beat them a few days ago, but aren't they just being a bit petty?"
Andreas chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Well, apart from the fact that they lost to you boys, which damaged their pride, I also punished them for losing by increasing the amount of cardio and off-the-ball work this week."
Sebastian blinked. "Oh."
"Exactly," Andreas continued, nodding. "So, the fact that the main orchestrator of all this is now training with them, there are bound to be complaints."
Sebastian nodded slowly, glancing toward the older boys who were already jogging toward the cones.
"Also," Andreas added, "because they're going through their hell week, you'll be training on the side for now. Once they're through it, we'll integrate you properly."
Sebastian turned back to him, shaking his head slightly. "I don't think there's a need for that, Coach."
Andreas raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Let me train with them," Sebastian said simply. "Join in their so-called punishment."
Andreas crossed his arms, curious. "Why?"
"For one," Sebastian began, "I'm just joining, and some of them already don't like me. I'm hoping that me participating in the punishment with them might make things better." He paused, glancing at the group again before continuing. "Also, I always want to push myself and be a better version of myself. This should help with that."
A small grin crept onto his face. "Plus, it's cardio with a bunch of sixteen-year-olds. How bad can it be?"
When he turned back toward Andreas, the coach was looking at him with a mix of surprise and disbelief, his brows slightly raised as if he hadn't expected that answer at all.
Coach Andreas stood at the edge of the field, arms folded, eyes fixed on the young boy stretching with the rest of the group. Sebastian moved with quiet focus, unbothered by the space the others had left between them.
The older boys had made no effort to include him, but he didn't seem to care. He went calmly through his warm-ups as if he had been doing this for years.
Andreas couldn't help but think back to the meeting in Coach Henrik's office a few days earlier. It had been right after the under-17s finished their evening training session.
He remembered walking down the hallway, the smell of grass and sweat still clinging to him, and knocking on Henrik's door. When he stepped inside, Henrik was already speaking with the under-15 coach.
The younger coach had turned at the sound of the door and smiled. "Told you he'd come see you."
Henrik chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "I'm guessing you're also here about Sebastian Falk."
"Yes, I am," Andreas replied. "And I'm guessing he's told you why I want him moved up?"
Henrik nodded. "Yes, he has."
"So, what do you think?" Andreas asked, taking a seat across the desk.
Henrik smiled faintly. "I agree with you."
The under-15 coach blinked, surprised. "What?"
"Really?" Andreas added, his brows rising. "I honestly thought I was going to have to convince you for a while."
"I thought you weren't going to agree at all," the under-15 coach admitted.
Henrik waved a hand, amused. "You two can relax. I've known about Sebastian before either of you. I saw what he could do during the trials, and I knew he'd eventually move up to the under-17s, regardless of his age. He's that good."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone softening. "But talent isn't everything. Plenty of gifted kids can't handle the jump to professional-level training. That's why I started him with the under-15s—to see how he would adapt. And from what both of you have told me, he's doing phenomenally well. So yes, I agree with the move."
The under-15 coach still looked unsure. "Nevertheless, he's twelve. I think moving him to the under-17s is too early."
"Oh, come off it," Andreas said. "Age isn't a barrier in football. If you're good, you're good. And we both know Sebastian is exceptional for his age."
Henrik raised a hand to steady the discussion. "How about this: let's compromise. He'll start training with the under-17s for now. If he holds his own, he'll stay. If he struggles, he goes back to the under-15s."
The under-15 coach frowned. "Won't that affect his confidence if he's moved up and then dropped back down?"
Henrik shook his head slowly. "Then that's how it is. Football isn't a kind sport. These boys are all fighting for a chance to make it professionally. They have to learn to deal with setbacks."
The room had gone quiet after that, all three coaches knowing the truth in those words.
Now, standing by the sideline, the coach Andreas watched as Sebastian finished his warm-up, bouncing lightly on his toes and waiting for instructions.
He exhaled through his nose, the faintest hint of a grin forming.
Let's see what you can do, Sebastian Falk.